


Serpent School

by Kneeshee



Series: Southside's Gems [4]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Ace Lives, Anti-Bughead, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, On Hiatus, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Southside's Gems
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-14 04:35:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21009824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kneeshee/pseuds/Kneeshee
Summary: Camille Amethyst Harper is new to the Southside Serpents and even more new to the Teenage Kingpin. She thought it was a joke when Emerald (the Emerald Wayne) asked her to join... until it wasn't. Now, Camille has to work through the trails of finding her place in the Serpents, in the Kingpin (by extension the Southside Gems), and in the school. Oh, and did she mention that she has to deal with her apparent crush on Serpent Prince Jughead Jones?





	1. |prologue|

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to know more about this universe or see snippets of what I planned or just didn’t or will probably not make it into the story....
> 
> Join me on my discord server.
> 
> https://discord.gg/5ejGpQ

* * *

_my sexuality is nope; I want to do people like I do my homework-not at all_

* * *


	2. |1|

They did it. They really closed Southside High. Camille stood a little further back against the crowd of students and parents screaming about the closing. Her aunt’s hands were on shoulder giving her a gentle squeeze. She had been at Southside High for years. The only school in town where she felt normal. Sure, she was still a little shy and quiet, but everyone were just regular kids there.

It was nothing like her old schools where she felt like she was that one odd character in a tv show.

Camille’s eyes slowly found their way over to the one group in the back. Some of them cheered loudly at the information, and yet a smaller group inside of the masses looked so accepting like they knew this would happen. They didn’t even look surprised, but Camille could see. She could still see the anger in their eyes.

Just because they knew it would happen didn’t mean they have to like it. But then something happened. Something Camille had never expected to see coming from a serpent. A southside gem. A member of the kingpin. From Sapphire Stone.

The girl in question had her fist woven tightly together as she trembled with rage. Camille couldn’t see her expression from behind her shades that she wore like an armor. None of the other members seemed to realize what was happening. Her boyfriend and their close friend Fangs were cheering and play fighting with each other. Happiness clear on their faces. Toni was still standing there in shock even as her girlfriend, Emilia, threw her arms around her and cheered. Their other friend, Emerald, immediately joined in on the impromptu hug. They were laughing and cheering just like the first two boys. But Sapphire? The girl’s shoulders shook harshly as she cried. Camille watched with wide eyes as the girl stepped away from her friends and into the arms of one of her den members comforting hug. The kingpin members soon came into realization at what Camille could guess was the girl’s quiet sobs while the rest of her den gave her comforting pats on her head and shoulders. Rubbing her back to calm her.

And then Camille remembered that Sapphire despised the Northside and that she claimed the Southside as her home. Her blood. Her family because they were there for her when she needed them. Maybe in another world Sapphire would be been a northsider, but she wasn’t. She was a Southsider. A Serpent. To her closing down this school meant her admitting defeat.

And suddenly, Camille didn’t want that. She didn’t want the girl to feel as if she was defeated. Her eyes trailed across the Serpents and she noticed a figure walking towards the Kingpin. The Serpent Prince. Jughead Jones.

He walked pass all the other Serpents and pulled Sapphire away from their friend. He whispered something to him and suddenly, Sapphire was punching him in the chest but still holding on tightly to him as she cried.

Her boyfriend, Sweet Pea, gave Jughead a little nod before pulling her away from him. She latched on to him crying also and Camille decided she knew what she had to do.

She turned around in her Aunt Byrdie’s arms. Her aunt gave her a questioning look before Camille went, “It’s time.”

Her aunt looked at her remembering the little girl that was the flower girl at her wedding to her uncle all those years ago. She remembered the little girl who sat beside her watching her stich up her Serpent jacket. The same little girl who cried harshly when her parents died in a terrorist attack. The little girl who was so quiet and reserved when she first came to live with her and her husband. She thought about how happy she felt when she signed the adoption papers to make Camille her own.

And then she thought of the Serpents and their initiation. Did she really want that for her niece? She glanced over to the young serpents comforting one of the princesses and decided that yes, she does. Camille might have to work her way through the ranks, but in the end, she would be a part of the kingpin. More importantly, she would be a Gem. Her niece would have the upmost protection ever and that’s all she could ever want for her.

Byrdie nodded at her niece, “Do what you have to do.”

\--

That same night Camille awoke to the feeling of someone in her room. She glanced up and barely managed to stop herself for letting out a high-pitched scream at the sight of the masked people in her room.

“What in the entire hell,” she snapped, her fingers curling around the taser and mace she keeps in the bed with her.

One of them stepped forward, “Your initiation begins now. With assuming guardianship of the beast.”

They turned away right as a dog jumped onto her bed. She let go of the taser and mace and caught the animal as it leapt towards her and began licking her face. Her hands petted the dog before she noticed the dog tag.

Hot Dog, the Third.

“I think not. I’m calling you Oreo,” she snapped getting out of her bed and moving towards the front of the trailer. She immediately noticed the dog supplies left in the front room and the casual way her aunt was sitting on the couch watching an episode of her wresting shows.

“Were you sitting here the whole time they were in my room,” Camille asked shocked. He aunt barely glanced from the tv. “Of course, I was. I was the one to let them in. You want to be a serpent. You have to go through initiation.”

Camille sat down on the adjacent couch and patted her lap for _Oreo_ to sit in it. “What is the initiation?”

Byrdie turns to look at her. “All new Serpents have to take care of the Beast. Once you complete that, you must learn the laws and know them by heart. You’re going to have to recite the laws in front of the whole gang. If you make it through with that, then it’s the matter of the snake pit. You have to reach into the snake tank and get the knife out. And lastly, well for girls it used to be having to do the snake dance. But those Gems? Sapphire, Toni, and Emerald? They refused. Said they either run the gauntlet like the boys or the serpents could kiss their asses. FP let them run it and its been that way ever since.”

Camille looked at her with wide eyes. “What’s the serpent dance? What are the laws? What’s the gauntlet?”

Byrdie laughed as she sat up, “Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. One question at time, little jewel. Alright, let’s start with the dance, eh? Its an old Serpent tradition that been thrown out. The girls had to get on stage, strip, and do a dance in front of the whole gang. They had to do it and complete it. It went back to one of the laws and we’ll get to that in a second…”

“Now the gauntlet, its basically what the men had to do and now the ladies have to also. Basically, you two lines of Serpents and for you, it’ll be the serpent females will stand across from each other. You must walk through those lines and take each punch they give you. This is final and most extreme test. You’re enduring physical punishment, being beaten down by every present Serpent member, only to arise as one of them. Passing this shows a great sign of respect to be initiated into the Serpents, since you have to prove yourself to be worthy and willing to take a beating for them and die for us, as we would for each other…”

Camille felt a tinge of fear overcome her before she forced it down. She thought about the sight she saw earlier that day and remembered that this is what she wanted to do.

“Okay. What are the laws,” she asked with a surprisingly confident voice. Her aunt looked at her with appraising eyes before she smiled.

“There are six laws…”

\--

Two days later, Camille woke up and got ready for her day. Once she was showered and dressed, she went to the front and called for Oreo to eat the food she set out. She let the dog out to use the bathroom before cleaning up its mess.

Camille wrote a note for her aunt then left to go pick up the rest of her things from the school. She walked there calming her nerves about the fact that the next morning she would be in a whole new environment. When she finally made it to the school, she was surprised to see all the Serpents giving her nods of acknowledgment. She gave shy and hesitant and confused smiles back before making her way to her locker.

Camille signed off on the sheet saying she got her belongings before turning around and coming face to face with Emerald Wayne. The Emerald Wayne. Previous Captain of the Fearsquad at Southside High and Current and Possibly Forever Member of the Southside Serpents. The Teenage Kingpin. The Southside Gems.

“You’re Camille, right? Byrdie’s niece?” the girl purred as she moved closer to Camille. The girl in question nodded her head and avoid eye contact, but Emerald didn’t like that. “Nuh uh, I need you to look me in the eye. You see, you’re planning on being a Serpent? I need you to be confident. When you get that jacket, you’re going to feel different. A rush of power is going to overtake you, so what’s a better time to prepare for that than now?”

Camille nodded her head again a bit more shyly and forced herself to look Emerald in the eye. Emerald beamed, and Camille’s gaze was immediately drawn to the green painted lips.

“Now, I didn’t just come up to you for that,” she told her. Her eyes were narrowed and the tension in the air shifted. “I’m pretty sure you know about the Southside’s Gems. And we’ve been informed that you seem to share a common feature with the rest of us, isn’t that right, _Amethyst_?”

Camille almost jumped back. She wasn’t used to people calling out her middle name when talking to her. “Uh, yes. Amethyst is my birthstone. My mom thought it was fitting.”

“Seems like you, me, and Sapphire have something else in common. Emeralds were my moms favorite and sapphires were the Stone’s family’s jewel and her dad proposed to her mom with a sapphire diamond ring.”

“That’s so sweet,” Camille muttered holding her new box of belongings close to her chest. Emerald nodded her head, “_Adorable._ But listen, you getting through initiation won’t just make you a Serpent. It’d make you a Gem too. A Princess. So, make us proud, okay? We’re rooting for you.”

Emerald walked off to the other members of the kingpin. Camille stared after her with wide eyes and felt her body freeze at the sight of the other members giving her smiles. Even Sweet Pea and Sapphire smiled at her and she swore those two hardly ever smiled.

She gave a hesitant smile back before rushing home.


	3. |2|

It was the day.

The day that all Southsiders started their first day at Riverdale High.

She had arrived early sitting with the other Southside students. They were all standing outside because it was an unspoken rule to not enter the building if the Kingpin had aren’t made it. Hell, even the Ghoulies followed that rule as they were all loitering around the school.

She and the other students were outside patiently waiting for the Kingpin to show up.

And show up they did.

Motorcycles and a sleek black Chevy impala rolled into the school parking lot. The five people on the bikes stepped off and the two in the impala stepped out. Camille counted each member.

_Sapphire_

_Emerald_

_Toni_

_Emilia_

_Sweet Pea_

_Fangs_

_Jughead _

Camille watched as they all slipped off and out the respective vehicles. Fangs and Emerald stepping out his car together and him throwing a possessive arm around her shoulder pulling her to his side.

Toni and Emilia slipped off Toni’s bike next. The girls walking up calmly to stand beside their friends with Emilia tightening the two ponytails on her head. The half shirt she was wearing giving everyone a clear view of her serpent tattoo.

Jughead and Sweet Pea slipped off their bikes next and Camille instantly remembered that Jughead used to go here. Before everything happened with his father and the Blossoms. Jughead moved towards the rest of the Kingpin, but Sweet Pea stayed behind to wait on his girlfriend.

Sapphire, who calmly got off her 201 BMW R Nine T Pure (Camille only knew that because her Aunt Byrdie drooled over the bike for weeks when the girl first got it), flicking her brown with blue tips hair over her shoulder. She grabbed another one of her satchels and slipped it over her shoulders. Camille immediately notices the heels the girl is wearing and wonders how she managed to ride with them on.

Camille couldn’t see the girl’s eyes because of the shades she was wearing but she could imagine the anger and defeat and agony in the girl’s eyes. She absently fixed her zip up leather mini dress showing off her own Serpent tattoo on her thigh and walked up to her boyfriend. Camille could see the Serpent emblem stitched onto the back and couldn’t help but wonder who was the girl’s stylist. Smirks pulled on their lips as Sapphire straightened out his Serpent jacket and Sweet Pea wrapped a possessive arm around her waist.

_“And I’m supposed to become one of them,” _she internally panicked.

The Kingpin walked into the school without sparing any of them a glance, and the rest of them quietly and silently followed.

“Oh my gosh, that’s a limited-edition Hermès Epsom Leather satchel,” Camille heard someone mutter as they took notice of the purse the girl was carrying.

Camille noticed a raven-haired girl standing behind a small table once they walked into the building. She saw how each of the Kingpin’s eyes snapped to her. She also noticed how Sapphire’s fist clenched a little.

“Friends,” the girl started, and Camille’s jaw drop as the girl boldly made eye contact with them. How her eyes seemed to pause on Fangs and Sweet Pea before moving on. She also took note of how the boys tightened their arms around their incredibly possessive girlfriends. “On behalf of the students and faculty here at Riverdale High, welcome to your new school. To ease this transition, I’ve set up a registration desk where you can get your locker assignments, class schedules, and a list of sports and extracurriculars. We encourage each and everyone of you to drink deeply from the cup that is fair Riverdale.”

“Stand down, Eva Peron,” Camille heard someone call out from the back of the group. All of them turned to the sight of a redhead beauty walking down the steps with a boy that seemed to be sculpted by the gods following right beside her.

“There’s the school spirit I so fondly remember,” Jughead stated before Emilia cleared her throat. Jughead turned towards the other Kingpin. He smiled lightly at them before turning back to the school.

“Cheryl. No one invited Fascist Barbie to the party,” the raven-haired girl snarked.

“Wrong, Veronica. No one invited Southside scum to our school,” Cheryl stated, and Camille could see the way the gems balled their fist. “Listen up, Ragamuffins. I will not allow Riverdale High’s above average GPA to suffer because of classrooms that are overcrowded with _underachievers_. So please, do us all a favor, and find some other school to debase with your hardscrabble ways.”

Camille watched quietly as Sapphire and Toni both stepped forward with snarls on their faces, “Why don’t you come over here and say that to my face?”

“Happily, Queens of the Buskers,” the red head replied, and Sapphire huffed out a laugh. The girl casually removed her shades and Emerald grabbed them. Everyone knew that Sapphire liked seeing her enemies balk at the sight of her inexpressive eyes as she went full-on Serpent Princess.

“Okay, guys… everyone, can we just put our Northside-Southside differences apart and start over? A new slate,” another person questioned. This one was a boy with red hair. Camille vaguely remembered seeing him the day all the Serpents got arrested in the sweep.

The boy that had followed Cheryl down shook his head, “Mmm. You don’t speak for the Bulldogs, Andrews. And need I remind you, these greasers-snakes showed up at your place trying to kick your ass.”

“Happy to finish what was started,” Sweet Pea suddenly snarled pushing his way in front of Toni. Jughead and Fangs immediately grabbed ahold of him and pulled him back.

“What did he just call us,” Camille heard Sapphire hiss. The girl was pushing her way in front of her boyfriend, but Toni and Emilia were holding her back.

“God, I am so over the toxic masculinity in this hallway right now,” Veronica stated as she pushed her way in between the two groups.

“All right. That’s enough pomp and circumstance,” Camille heard being called out. They turned their heads to see someone who couldn’t be anyone else but the principal of the school. “Everyone, let’s get to class. Now.”

One last look was shared between the groups before Jughead was subtly pushing them forward to walk away.

The Kingpin started walking around Cheryl and the others, but Camille noticed the way Emerald’s eyes flickered around the crowds of the school before landing on her.

“Camille,” the girl called out. “You’re with us.”

Camille jumped and avoided eye contact as she made her way towards the Kingpin, but halfway through her walked over she remembered Emerald’s words about being confident. She stood up straighter and rose her eyes from the ground in front of her. She looked directly at Emerald and immediately noticed the proud smile on the girl and the other gems’ faces.

“You wear confidence, well girly,” Emilia told her with a bright grin. Camille smiled back albeit shyly.

“We’re gonna be late,” Sapphire stated throwing Camille a smile. “Let’s go.”

Camille followed behind quietly only because she was the only one that had seemed to grabbed copies of the schedules even managing to grab the Kingpin’s schedules also.

Jughead had led them to what could only be a student lounge where the Kingpin was calmly sitting around. Sapphire was sitting in Sweet Pea’s lap where the boy was running a soothing hand over her arm as she still shook with rage. Her shades were still off, and this time Camille could see the defeat shining in her eyes. Emerald and Emilia were walking around the small room looking and taking in everything, while Jughead, Toni, and Fangs reclined in chairs looking the Serpent Royalty that they were.

Camille had just walked into the small room when a Northside boy calmly walked in and took a seat on the couch beside Sweet Pea and Sapphire. She noticed how the couple immediately turned to him and how Sapphire gave him a small and strangely shy smile. She obviously knew the boy.

She noticed when the girl, Veronica, and another followed walked into the room from where she was still standing by the door.

“I don’t think we properly met,” Veronica stated as she walked over to Toni and held her hand out. “Veronica Lodge.”

“Of the Park Avenue Lodges,” Jughead called out lightly. Camille couldn’t help the quirk of her lips. Toni reached forward and shook the girl’s hand. “Toni. Topaz.”

“Oh, like the purple-colored gemstone,” Veronica smiled. “Love it.”

“And I’m Josie McCoy,” the other girl announced with a smile. “Formerly of the Pussycats, now just Josie. And this is Kevin.”

She gestured to the boy sitting on the couch beside Sapphire and Sweet Pea. Kevin turned to look at Fangs and asked, “What’s your name?”

Fangs rose a brow, “Fogarty. Or you can call me Fangs. Your last name’s Keller, right?”

Kevin looked taken back, “How did you know that?”

Fangs smiled like he knew a secret before he announced, “Joaquin and I used to hang out. He talked about you all the time.”

“Tell me about it,” Sapphire snorted.

Camille jumped when she heard a strong voice call out, “You guys!” She turned to see the principal storming towards the room. The Kingpin had also turned to look at him in confusion. “Yes, you, come with me. Now!”

The group stood and followed him out with Emilia and Emerald walking over to join them in the confusion. They walked down the halls and Camille followed behind dutifully not wanting to upset any of them.

The man stopped and turned with a fierce scowl on his face. Camille was confused on what he wanted until she looked down and saw the crudely drawn snake on the floor.

“Which of you defaced our school seal with this graffiti?” The principal questioned calmly despite his angered expression.

“This is what they do, Principal Weatherbee,” the boy from earlier stated. “They tag their turf.”

“My God, Reggie, could you be any more transparent,” Veronica questioned in disdain.

“Reggie,” she heard Sapphire whisper. “Reggie as in Reginald Mantle? Ugh, this asshole? I have enough of this airhead at galas.”

Reggie nodded in response to Veronica question as the principal stood straight up. “Effective immediately, no gang behavior of any kind will be tolerated at my school. As of this moment, no more Serpent Jackets.”

“What,” the Kingpin demanded.

“No more Serpent jackets,” the man demanded. “All tattoos are gonna be covered. Possession of any gang paraphernalia whatsoever will lead to immediate suspension.”

Sapphire pushed forward with a dark and amused smirk on her face but the angry was clear. “I don’t know who you think you are, Weatherbee. Excuse me, _Principal_ Weatherbee. But me? I’m Sapphire motherfucking Stone. The richest girl in this whole town and that’s even when you combine the Lodges, the Blossoms, and the Mantles together. If you think that I’m going to give up my jacket just because of some dumbass jock that can’t tell the difference between Michael Kors and Dolce & Gabbana drew a knock off Serpent Symbol, then you are sadly mistaken.”

And then the girl cast a look over to Reggie, “And Mantle, I’d watch my back if I were you. Jade doesn’t like when her friends get hurt.”

The girl flipped her hair before she was turning away, “Someone call for Nathan and tell him to clean that up. I don’t need any problems while I’m forced to be at this horrendous place.”


	4. |3|

The next day was Camille was sitting with Kingpin sans Sapphire and Jughead in the student lounge. She and the others looked up when the two missing members walked in with their Serpent jacket still on. Sapphire wearing an outfit not unlike she wore the day before smirking at the looks she was receiving.

“Oh, hey guys,” Jughead stated. “What’s up?” He walked over to the vending machine as Sapphire headed towards the group when the boy, Reggie, looked up at them.

“Take it off,” he demanded. But the two continued to ignore him. Reggie stood up and his friends followed his lead as he heads towards Jughead. “Take off that jacket, Rat Boy.”

Jughead sighed as he turned around and Sapphire immediately made her way back to his side not even paying attention to the other kingpin members that were standing up in defense.

“Oh, Reggie,” Jughead mocked. “I don’t think you know what this jacket means. Because you have no sense of honor. Or history, or loyalty.”

“That’s it,” Reggie suddenly growled. Him and his Bulldog friends immediately shot forward grabbing onto the jackets, but Sapphire was quicker. Fangs and Sweet Pea rushed forward into the chaos. Camille and the others couldn’t see from where they were standing but they got sense of understanding when some of the boys hit the ground groaning and holding onto to their private areas.

The groups were all fighting and tumbling around and that’s when Camille saw Sapphire being pushed out of the group. But the girl didn’t care as all she did was climb onto the couch before jumping right back in with her fist swinging.

“Oh, my god,” Camille heard, and she turned as Veronica stared in shock. “Mr. Weatherbee!”

But she turned back when she heard Sweet Pea rage, “Don’t you touch her!” and Sapphire’s following remark, “I’m going to kick your ass, you little bitch!”

She watched as Sapphire seemed transform right in front of them as her punches became harder, fiercer, harsher, and stronger. The unlucky idiot that was still crazy enough to stand in her way went down in a heap as her small fist hit his face. “You assholes are _nothing_. I’ve been fighting people stronger than me since I first put on this jacket.”

She twisted around, and Sweet Pea grabbed her arm and the two of them switch places. Camille heard one of the girl’s snort beside her. She looked at them and saw how amused Emilia was as the others were fighting. “I swear, Saph and SP make fighting look like something right out of a romance movie.”

Emerald and Toni laughed before Emerald was standing up, “Well, we can’t just let them have all of the fun.”

She barely blinked before they were moving forward fists swinging and connecting to the unlucky Northsiders that got in their way.

All too soon, the Principal was running into the room with Veronica following behind him. “Enough,” the man bellowed, and Camille noticed how they all froze in place. “Into the office. Now!”

Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Jughead pushed the boys they were fighting away, and Toni, Emilia, and Emerald calmly stepped away from their victims. Sapphire scoffed and dropped the boy who she was fighting. They all stepped away clearly showing a divide between them, but right after Sapphire twirled around again and punched Reggie in the face.

“Touch my boyfriend again and you’ll be leaving on a stretcher,” she snapped before she was storming out of the room and into the office with everyone else following quietly behind her.

Camille followed behind dutifully and stood at the door of the office as everyone took their seats. Sapphire taken perch on Sweet Pea’s lap and staring back defiantly at the principal daring him to contradict her. Camille didn’t even notice when she had put her shades on.

“You all have a week’s detention for fighting,” the principal announced, and all of them groaned. Then the man turned towards Jughead and Sapphire, “But I made myself clear to you, Mr. Jones and Miss Stone. Take off those jackets right now, or you’re suspended.”

The boy in question stared defiantly back before he was lifting his head up in confidence.

“Please, Jughead, just—” Veronica started, but Jughead narrowed his eyes and shrugged, “Then I guess I’m suspended.”

He strolled out of the room. The man nodded his head like he expected that to happen as he turned towards Sapphire.

She just looked at him over the rim of her glasses. “Well, if I take this off, I will be walking around in only my underwear, is that okay?”

Sweet Pea tightened his arms around her before relaxing it, “Absolutely not,” he hissed.

Sapphire absently patted the boy’s shoulder, “Also I can do whatever I want considering that I just bought this school.”

Toni laughed, “I just love how you can just buy whatever you want.” Sapphire laughed also, but her eyes never strayed from the Principal. “Besides, I’ll need to see it in the school’s handbook that we’re not allowed to wear our jackets, until then we’ll keep wearing them. “

Her head tilted to the side, “And it’s my only jacket, sir, you wouldn’t want me to freeze. I get cold _very_ easy.”

Fangs snorted and muttered quietly enough that only the group could hear, “If you can afford a school, then I’m sure you can afford a jacket.”

Camille froze when she caught herself snickering. She avoided eye contact, but she felt a nudge and noticed Emilia looking at her in amusement. She smiled back hesitantly before turning to look back at Sapphire and the principal, but the man said nothing for a moment.

“It is against school rules to wear sunglasses inside of the building,” he said at last. Sapphire’s smirk widened before she pulled her shades off. Her dark brown eyes glinted with amusement as the man nodded his head before walking away.

“Let’s go find, JugJug, and let the idiot know he’s not suspended” she stated as she stood up. She moved towards the door before she turned and stopped in front of Reggie. She leaned down until they were face to face and she casually placed her fingers under his chin to that he had no choice but to look her in the eye. “You try that shit again, and I’ll buy your dad’s company so fast that you would forget he ever owned it. And for the cherry on top, I’ll turn it into my personal car lot. Don’t you ever forget who’s actually in charge around here.”

She roughly shoved him away before she slips her shades back on and walking away. She looped her arm through Camille’s and smiled at her. “Come on, let’s go find our wayward prince.”

This was going to be an interesting day.


	5. |4|

They didn’t find Jughead, but Veronica caught up to them and led them towards the cafeteria to claim a table. Camille stood to the side not sure if she should sit down or not before Emerald was pulling on her arm to sit with them.

“These are the kind of people you would’ve grew up with,” Sweet Pea laughed dryly as he threw his arm over Sapphire’s shoulder. “Makes me glad you ended up on the Southside.”

Sapphire rolled her eyes with a smile as she cast a glance around the cafeteria as she took in everyone constantly turning to stare at them. “Yeah, I guess I am lucky.” Her heart pinged a little as she thought about the circumstances on exactly how she ended up on the Southside before she shook her head.

Then she turned to Camille with a friendly smile, “So, I heard you that its almost time for you to do the next part of initiation, are you ready?”

Camille nodded a little shyly, “Yeah, I think I am.”

They all smiled at her, “You’re going to do great,” Toni stated with a smile.

* * *

Camille stood before the members of the Serpents. She was a little nervous, but her aunt gave her a small nod and a smirk in her direction which gave her a little confidence. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her.

Looking around the room, she noticed Jughead standing beside his father. Sapphire was lounging across one of the pool tables with a cool smirk on her lips. Toni was sitting over by Fangs. Sweet Pea and Emilia were standing in front of what Camille could only guess was the snake tank. The third part of the initiation. The snake pit.

“So, you’ve completed the first part of the initiation, but do you remember the laws of a Serpent,” Jughead’s father, FP, questioned. “You will repeat the rules to us, and you must get them all correct. These laws need to be burned into your brain.”

Camille felt more than a little wary, but she nodded her head determinedly.

Jughead stepped forward first and with a loud voice he asked, “What is the first law?”

She felt a little taken back at his loud voice before she steeled herself. This was what she wanted. She never wanted to see Sapphire (a girl she admired for so long for having confidence that Camille only dreamed of) cry ever again. She needed to be at her side so that she could protect her. Camille knew since she was a little girl watching her Aunt Byrdie sew up Serpent Jackets that she was going to one day join. It was better late than never.

“A Serpent never shows cowardice.” A little hard. Camille wasn’t exactly what you called brave, but she was getting there. Hopefully.

FP stated with a loud voice, “What is the second law?”

She frowned a little before they went, “If a Serpent is killed or imprisoned, their family will be taken care of.” Just like how her aunt and uncle took her in after her mother and father died. They took care of her and raised her as their own.

Sapphire sat up straight on the table and her eyes narrowed before she leaned forward and purred, “What is the third law?”

Everyone focused on her with an intensity that was almost unnerving.

“No Serpent stands alone.”

It had been a tricky one to remember Camille recalled. Aunt Brydie said that the Third Law was different. It was a two-piece law. On one side, Camille could say that _no serpent stands alone_; that’s the one that dated back to the founding of the gang. But on the other side, she could also say that _a serpent never sheds its skin_; it also dated back to the founding. The full law was that _no serpent stands alone because a serpent never shed its skin._ Basically, stating that no matter how far you stray, if you need help, then the Serpents were always there for you. It’s probably her favorite law.

Emerald’s lips curled into a smile, “And what is the fourth law?”

She spared another glance at her aunt who gave her another nod. Taking a deep breath, she looked Emerald in the eye.

“No Serpent is left for dead.”

Emerald inclined her head turning back to FP and Jughead. Jughead took his cue when Camille looked back at him. “What is the fifth law?”

“A Serpent never betrays his own,” she announced. A weight felt like it had been lifted off her shoulders. She was almost through. She was really doing this.

FP took back the reins, “What is the sixth law?”

Straightening her shoulders, she took another deep breath before boldly looking FP in the eyes, “In unity, there is strength.”

She could see the look of pride in FP as he and the other Serpents repeated, “IN UNITY, THERE IS STRENGTH.”

FP rose a hand everyone immediately went quiet. He looked at Camille before casting a glance around the room, and a looked at each member of the Kingpin before he turned back to her. “You know the laws. Now it’s time for the next trial.”

Emilia and Sweet Pea straightened up and unblocked the view of the tank. Camille blinked at the sight of the snake that curled around the knife protectively. She wasn’t fond of snakes all that much, but Aunt Byrdie swore that the reptile wasn’t poisonous.

Sapphire perked up as she leaned forward a little and purred, “Retrieve the knife.”

Camille moved over confidently to the tank and reached in without hesitation. Her hand grasped the handle of the knife at the same second the snake shot out and bit her.

She felt the air shift when she pulled the knife out. Turning around, she noticed the looks of pride that the Gems were giving her.

She did it. Only the gauntlet was left.

* * *

_“Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the Swords and Serpents Club,” _Jughead announced from his seat at the front of the room. Sitting in this room surrounded by the other members of the Kingpin and various serpents, Camille felt underdressed in their new uniforms. She really wanted to know their secret to making uniforms look like designer outfits.

The uniforms had been one of the first things the school board enforced once they realized Sapphire had managed to get around them. And sure, she may have technically been the owner of the school now, she was also still underaged and didn’t have a full claim to her parent’s money. And thus, the uniforms.

“Which is what, exactly,” Toni questioned from where she was perched at the front of the class. Jughead smirked from where he was pealing an orange.

“Like I told Fogarty to lure him back to dear ol’ Riverdale,” here Fangs snorted. “We are a gaming group. Sanctioned by Mr. Weatherbee, himself. Where like-minded students can meet and concoct world-building, role-playing scenarios, inhabiting fantastical heroes and dispatching mythological monsters.”

Sapphire snorted silently, “A little on the nose there, JugJug.”

Toni scoffed amused, “No, but really?”

Jughead turned serious as he looked around at them, “it’s a club, for us.” Standing slowly, he looked each of them in eye. Even Camille and she technically wasn’t a Serpent yet.

“A safe haven where we can be Serpents during school hours and under everyone’s noses.”

Impressive.

“We’re not shedding our skins,” he declared. Camille could see how each member of the kingpin sat up straighter at his words. “We’re lying low in the tall grass.”

Poetic.

* * *

Camille was sitting in a history class near the back. She tried to keep her foot elevated as the tattoo on her foot throbbed. She had clear view of Jughead sitting a few rows ahead of her typing on his computer and another clear view of the door. Sapphire was sitting not too far looking bored and uninterested.

Cheryl Blossom, rich girl ordinaire and Sapphire’s rival, was given her oral history report. She had absolutely no idea what she was going to say about hers or how she was going to manage to stand before everyone and given the report.

“Mr. Jones,” the teacher announced, and Camille watched as Jughead jerked just a little. “Eyes up front.”

She moved over to her desk and Cheryl sneered at him, “Thank you, Mrs. Haggly.”

[_“You know considering her name,” Camille recalled Emilia stating as she sorted her textbooks in the Swords and Serpents hangout. “She doesn’t look like much of a hag.”_

_Sapphire snorted, “Only you, Millie.”]_

Cheryl sighed before smiling tightly, “As I was saying, each year we honor the memory of General Pickens, yet few know the truth.”

Sapphire yawned tiredly as the scene changed on the projector. “That it was my great-great-great grandpappy Colonel Barnabas B. Blossom, who bankrolled General Pickens’ settlement of, an Eden along the river of Sweetwater, where maple trees grow taller than the steeples of Europe’s grandest cathedrals. Which is why every year I petition the mayor’s office to rename Pickens Day.”

Sapphire scoffed aloud as the bell rang out, “Calm down, Buttercup. Your grand papa wasn’t the only one that bankrolled Pickens’. The only reason the Stones aren’t tied to that gentrification bullshit is because we know the real truth. Grandpa Saiken didn’t want to be included in the destruction your grandfather and General Dickhead left in their wakes.”

The girl grabbed her belongings before walking out the room with a flip of her hair. Mrs. Haggly stared after her even as she spoke to Cheryl and then Jughead. “Mr. Jones, we look forward to your oral history report next week.”

Camille only watched as the boy tucked away his laptop before leaving out the room. When Camille finally left out, Emilia was waiting on her. “Come on, Cam. We have to get you prepped for the gauntlet tonight.”

Camille could only nod her head.

* * *

And while the adults were away planning a celebratory event for Pickens’ Day in the Andrew’s home, Camille was standing before two lines of female Serpents. Sapphire stood at the end of the line rubbing her hands together with her eyes on Camille. Toni, Emilia, and Emerald stood on either side of her looking back towards Camille.

She was ready.

She could do this.

Stepping forward into the masses, she missed when Sapphire inclined her head as the punches immediately went flying. Camille steeled herself. It _hurt, _but she could do this. She had to do this.

“Sorry about this girly,” she heard Emerald whisper before another punch connected with her face. Gritting her teeth, Camille looked up when the punches finally stopped coming for her.

Sapphire stared her down before smiling softly. Her fist connected harshly with Camille’s already bruised face and she went down hard. Blinking the spots out of her vision, she sat up slowly and looked to see all the Gems crowded around her worriedly.

“Welcome to Southside Serpents, Camille Harper,” Toni cheered.


End file.
